Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco
Since the early 1980s, several regions of Morocco have experienced alternating series of wet and dry periods related to climate change, with significant consequences for the country’s economy. This study aims to map flood hazards by using a hydraulic modeling approach, with a specific focus on the O...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
De Gruyter
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Open Geosciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0607 |
| _version_ | 1797258375222788096 |
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| author | Diani Khadija Hamza Mohamed Hafedh Elbelrhiti Hicham Kacimi Ilias Faqihi Fatima Zahra Haghighi Ali Torabi El Amrani Mohamed Hahou Youssef Masmoudi Lhoussaine Lahcen Ousaid Alshehri Fahad Elhag Mohamed |
| author_facet | Diani Khadija Hamza Mohamed Hafedh Elbelrhiti Hicham Kacimi Ilias Faqihi Fatima Zahra Haghighi Ali Torabi El Amrani Mohamed Hahou Youssef Masmoudi Lhoussaine Lahcen Ousaid Alshehri Fahad Elhag Mohamed |
| author_sort | Diani Khadija |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the early 1980s, several regions of Morocco have experienced alternating series of wet and dry periods related to climate change, with significant consequences for the country’s economy. This study aims to map flood hazards by using a hydraulic modeling approach, with a specific focus on the Oued (river) Zaouiat Sidi Hamza passing through Zaouiat Sidi Hamza township belonging to the High Ziz watershed (province of Midelt, region of Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco). Hydraulic modeling and flood simulation were carried out followed by mapping of the flood hazard. The Oued Zaouiat Sidi Hamza River can cause torrential flooding issues, particularly during periods of heavy storms, impacting agricultural land and certain buildings on both river banks. All the cultivated areas developed alongside the river are at risk of flooding. Moreover, undermining and erosion of the river’s banks lead to rising high-water levels and flooding agricultural terraces. The use of geographic information systems and hydraulic modeling tools is essential to gain a deeper understanding of this situation. Also, the mapping of lineaments and fractures in the study area, carried out by satellite image processing, helped to quantify the directional influence of these lineaments on the flow of the hydrographic network, on the orientation of the circulation of surface water, and on the storage of groundwater. According to this study, the most vulnerable areas to flooding and erosion are those that receive the most water in the basin and have steep slopes. Decision-makers can use the results to produce development plans tailored to combat these risks and raise awareness among the population concerned, improving water resource evaluation and forecasting, as well as improving agricultural production. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:52:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6083306e98864229ad772c63fe6555d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2391-5447 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T22:52:32Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | De Gruyter |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Open Geosciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-6083306e98864229ad772c63fe6555d22024-03-18T10:27:40ZengDe GruyterOpen Geosciences2391-54472024-03-011611010675410.1515/geo-2022-0607Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast MoroccoDiani Khadija0Hamza Mohamed Hafedh1Elbelrhiti Hicham2Kacimi Ilias3Faqihi Fatima Zahra4Haghighi Ali Torabi5El Amrani Mohamed6Hahou Youssef7Masmoudi Lhoussaine8Lahcen Ousaid9Alshehri Fahad10Elhag Mohamed11LO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoGeomatics Section, Department of Geology, Faculty of Science of Tunis, University of Tunis El Manar, Tunis, TunisiaGeosciences, Environment, and Associated Resources Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Sidi Mohamed Benabdellah University, Fes, MoroccoLO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoDepartment of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II, Madinat Al Irfane, P.O. Box 6202, Rabat, MoroccoWater Resources and Environmental Engineering Research Group, University of Oulu, Oulu, PO Box 4300, FIN-90014, FinlandLO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoLO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoLO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoLO3G Laboratory, Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat, MoroccoAbdullah Alrushaid Chair for Earth Science Remote Sensing Research, Geology and Geophysics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh11451, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Water Resources, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi ArabiaSince the early 1980s, several regions of Morocco have experienced alternating series of wet and dry periods related to climate change, with significant consequences for the country’s economy. This study aims to map flood hazards by using a hydraulic modeling approach, with a specific focus on the Oued (river) Zaouiat Sidi Hamza passing through Zaouiat Sidi Hamza township belonging to the High Ziz watershed (province of Midelt, region of Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco). Hydraulic modeling and flood simulation were carried out followed by mapping of the flood hazard. The Oued Zaouiat Sidi Hamza River can cause torrential flooding issues, particularly during periods of heavy storms, impacting agricultural land and certain buildings on both river banks. All the cultivated areas developed alongside the river are at risk of flooding. Moreover, undermining and erosion of the river’s banks lead to rising high-water levels and flooding agricultural terraces. The use of geographic information systems and hydraulic modeling tools is essential to gain a deeper understanding of this situation. Also, the mapping of lineaments and fractures in the study area, carried out by satellite image processing, helped to quantify the directional influence of these lineaments on the flow of the hydrographic network, on the orientation of the circulation of surface water, and on the storage of groundwater. According to this study, the most vulnerable areas to flooding and erosion are those that receive the most water in the basin and have steep slopes. Decision-makers can use the results to produce development plans tailored to combat these risks and raise awareness among the population concerned, improving water resource evaluation and forecasting, as well as improving agricultural production.https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0607hydraulic modelingflood risk mappinghec-rasgisremote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Diani Khadija Hamza Mohamed Hafedh Elbelrhiti Hicham Kacimi Ilias Faqihi Fatima Zahra Haghighi Ali Torabi El Amrani Mohamed Hahou Youssef Masmoudi Lhoussaine Lahcen Ousaid Alshehri Fahad Elhag Mohamed Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco Open Geosciences hydraulic modeling flood risk mapping hec-ras gis remote sensing |
| title | Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco |
| title_full | Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco |
| title_fullStr | Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco |
| title_short | Flood risk assessment, a case study in an arid environment of Southeast Morocco |
| title_sort | flood risk assessment a case study in an arid environment of southeast morocco |
| topic | hydraulic modeling flood risk mapping hec-ras gis remote sensing |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1515/geo-2022-0607 |
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